Kreis Schlochau

Kreis History

• Teutonic Knights moved into this region in 1230, purchasing the Schlochauer area on 4 September 1312 from Count Nicolaus von Ponitz of Poland.
• The Knights built the second largest fortress of their realm from 1325-1365.
• Relations with Poland deteriorated over the years, and the knights lost the battle of Grunwald in 1410, but they kept the land. 
• In the second Treaty of Thorn/Torun in 1466, the area became a subserviant state to Poland, and the Schlochau area reverted to Poland. 
• In 1792, Prussia acquired the area in the First Partitioning of Poland.
• The area was 79% German, and became part of West Prussia, and remained so until 1920.
• In the Treaty of Versailles following World War I, the northeast 1/5 of Schlochau was acquired by Poland the the rest of the Kreis was put into a non-militarized zone called "Grenzmark Posen-Westpreußen." 
• In 1938, the National Socialist government added Schlochau to Pomerania.
• During World War II, Schlochau was under attack by the Red Army in the last days of February 1945. The towns that resisted were burned. 
• Kreis Schlochau had five major towns: Baldenburg, Hammerstein, Landeck, Preußisch Friedland, and Schlochau.
• Baldenburg received city rights in 1382.
• The entire center of Baldenburg was burned in World War II.
• Hammerstein received city rights in 1395.
• Landeck is a little town located on the Küddow River. 
• Preußisch Friedland was captured by the Russians, recaptured by the Germans, and lost again. 
• Preußisch Friedland received city rights in 1354. It was located on the border of Poland.
• Schlochau received city rights in 1348.
• Schlochau grew up under the protection of the fortress.

Resources

• Auswanderungen
   
• Blanke, A. Aus vergangenen Tagen des Kreises Schlochau Geschichte der Ortschaften. Schlochau: Golz, 1936. From Bygone Days of Kreis Schlochau: Histories of the Villages
   
• Geographisches Institut Paul Baron (Liegnitz). Kreis Schlochau. Stolp i. Pomm: Eulitz, 1922. (Map)
   
• Hage, Karl. Die Arbeitsverhältnisse mittel- und grossbäuerlicher Betriebe im Kreis Schlochau. Berlin: Parey, 1939. (Dissertation)
   
• Illustrierter Kreiskalender für den Kreis Schlochau. [Schlochau: Gebauer], 1906.
   
• Institut für Angewandte Geodäsie (Frankfurt, Main). Kreis Schlochau. [Frankfurt]: Institut für Angewandte Geodäsie, 1965. (Map)
   
• Kreis Schlochau. Information on Kreis Schlochau in Pommern. 
   
• Kreis Schlochau. (Mitteilungeblatt für die Heimatkreise Schlochau und Flatow). 1992.
   
• Kreis Schlochau 1: 100 000. [Frankfurt a.M.]: 1965. (Map)
   
• Kreis Schlochau. (Mitteilungeblatt für die Heimatkreise Schlochau und Flatow). 1992.
   
• Kreisblatt f. d. Schlochauer Kreis. 1887. 
    
• Landkreis Schlochau: Gebietsstand von 1939. (Michael Rademacher). Statistics and communities.
   
• Personenstandsbücher im Standesamt I in Berlin (Civil Registry Offices) - Baldenburg, Barkenfelde, Bischofswalde, Eickfier, Eisenbrück, Firchau, Flötenstein, Förstenau, Georgenhütte, Grabau, Groß Jenznick, Hammerstein, Krummensee, Landeck, Lichtenhagen, Lissau, Loosen, Mossin, Neuguth, Peterswalde, Pollnitz, Prechlau, Preußisch Friedland, Richenwalde, Sampohl, Schlochau, Schönau, Starsen, Stegers, Stolzenfelde, Stretzin, Wehnershof, Woltersdorf.